1. Purchasing:

Q: I would like to purchase and download STARR on the computer I am currently using, but install it on another computer. Is this possible?

A: Yes. The STARR installation file is compact and will fit on a single floppy disk. You may purchase and download on a computer and copy it to floppy disk, and then later install on another computer. Please note that the single user software license for STARR allows for one installation per purchase. Please also note that you are only allowed to install STARR on a computer you own. If you would like to install STARR on more than one computer, we offer multi-user and site licenses with great discounts. 

Q: How do you count the licenses for the multi-user license ?

A: The installations are counted by the "STARR logging engine". Example: You have 10 PC's with the logging engine running and two PC's with (only) the STARR Commander to convert and read the log file. In this case you need the 10-user license. Installations of STARR Commander are free.

2. Installing:

Q: Am I allowed to install this software on somebody else's computer? 

A:  You may only install STARR on a computer that you own. Before you install the software, you must agree to use it only on a computer you own. 

Q. Should I inform my employees or others that they are being monitored? 

A: Yes. Some countries may require this by law. STARR has a built-in popup for this. 

3. Operation:

Q: Does STARR log every application title, path etc.?

A: Yes, to our knowledge, the title and path of every application is logged.

Q: Does STARR log every keystroke ?

A. STARR logs almost every keystroke, with a few exceptions. Some applications do not allow for keystrokes to be logged, but these are very rare. The only ones currently known of are: the password fields in Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) and the NT / Win 2000 logon screen. If you come across any others, please let us know.

Q: Is the Win 95 / 98 / ME  logon password recorded ?

A. Yes, it is (Please make sure that only authorized persons have access to the log file).

Q: Is the Win NT / Win 2000  logon password recorded ?

A. No.

Q: I received the log file via email but it looks "weird". What is wrong ?

A. Probably nothing! You probably choose the option "send STARR log". In this case STARR sends the raw, probably encrypted STARR log file . Choose "HTML", "Spreadsheet" or "Plain text" in order to receive "ready-to-use" reports. 

Q: The spreadsheet report is not imported correctly into Excel ? 

A. Excel can import Text files, which are stored in the comma separated value (CSV) format. Such a file contains the data in lines, whilst the fields are separated by commas. In normal cases Excel reads and converts this format automatically. Unfortunately there is a problem with Excel. Depending on the local Windows settings the separator may be either a semicolon or a comma. In German Excel the CSV file must contain a semicolon as a separator, to import the fields within the records into different columns of the worksheet.

4. Email: [PRO Version]

Q: Can STARR also send the log files via AOL ?

A: Email options (a) and (b) work fine with AOL. AOL uses its own proprietary email protocol and unfortunately not the Internet standard SMTP. Therefore you can not use option (c). 

Q: Can you recommend any free email accounts for use with STARR ?

A. Yes, check out our very popular TOP 5 list of free SMTP / POP3 Email accounts at http://www.iOpus.com/guides/bestpopsmtp.htm  

5. Security:

Q: How discrete is STARR ? Can anyone detect it?

A. If you select the log file backdating it is VERY discrete and almost impossible to detect since it does not appear on the task bar or even in the task list. For an invisible manual installation [PRO Version] simply follow the step-by-step guide  in this manual.

Q: If people know STARR is installed, can they circumvent or manipulate the software without me knowing ?

A: STARR has many security features to prevent this: When installed invisibly, STARR does not show up as an icon, does not appear in the Windows system tray, does not appear in Windows Programs, does not show up in the Windows task list, cannot be uninstalled without the STARR Commander password which you can specify, and STARR does not slow down the operation of the computer it is recording.

If the log file is emailed out or saved on a network server it is not accessible for the user of the local PC and can not be deleted. Even when stored locally, it is impossible to manipulate the log file without breaking the STARR encryption scheme first. But as with any filter, surveillance or security software, a computer expert could ultimately disable or delete the STARR installation, but this will not go unnoticed by you !

Q: Why is STARR so small ? Other apps which do similar things need a 7.0 MB download ?

A. STARR is written in "pure" C/C++ code, which can be compiled into very small, yet powerful executables (Remember, only about ten years ago a whole operating system did not need more then 16 Kbytes!).  Secondly, STARR is designed to make as much use of the Windows operating system as possible. The advantages are obvious: The more we utilize the Windows operating system itself, the smaller and more discrete STARR becomes.

6. Miscellany: